The Miller's Daughter

The Miller's Daugher
V Holy Rood - Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck
www.hergracesacredart.com

The Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck and Book

has been published and is now available on

my website www.hergracesacredart.com

and also in my shop The French Madonna

at Etsy.com  www.etsy.com/shop/thefrenchmadonna.

You can subscribe to my blog

The Mysteries of Mary Tarot 

for regular updates.

A few fairytales are included in the Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck.  Some of them were chosen as they relate to a specific archetype in both the tarot and the stories of Mary.

The fairy tale of the Handless Maiden was chosen because Mary

appears in an Eastern European folktale version of the story. 

In some versions an angel or a being of light appears to help the 

Handless Maiden, but in this particular folktale, Mary herself appears

to help the maiden.

The story of the Handless Maiden and her powerful symbology is told over a sequence of three cards in the deck.  Links

to different versions of the fairy tale is included

in the bibliography at the back

of the book.  

The V of Holy Rood (traditionally Wands) is the first

card that depicts a scene from the tale.  

This card is titled The Miller's Daughter 

and we are introduced to

the young maiden, her father, the devil 

and very importantly, the apple tree.

The Miller's daughter is standing next to the apple tree with a loaf of bread

(food produced by the miller) on her shoulder.  She, as well as the significant apple

tree represents feminine values and attributes.    Feminine qualities and attributes

live in both male and female.  The story of speaks of the 'miller' and not the maiden's father.

This demonstrates that great importance is given to his occupation in the world, 

rather than his role as father.

From the start we see the focus and emphasis on masculine goals and values.

In our culture the masculine values and attributes are greatly admired and promoted.

The emphasis on the miller, his greed for money, his disregard for both the apple tree

and his daughter, reflects and highlights the imbalance which exists and

the lack of reverence for the less visible feminine principles.

The apple blossom is a symbol of fertility and sensuality.

In Celtic lore the apple tree is the Tree of Love.

At the top of the shrine are two hands.  These will take

you to the next part of the story which is further developed

in VII of Holy Rood,, where the Handless Maiden enters the forest.

Traditionally this card means conflict and in this deck it refers to inner conflict.

The really important questions in life you have to find the answers to

yourself. Do not rely on the opinion of others.  Do not rely

on 'the done thing' or the accepted way of doing.

In other words, do not make a pact with the devil for your most

precious feminine feeling  and earthy nature.

Dig deep and feel the discomfort of the inner conflict

and may you find peace.

This is an extract from the discussion of this card in companion book

to the Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck

peace,

Hettienne

A Labour of Love

A small portion of the 78 Tarot Cards

Two years ago I started the project of creating my own tarot deck.  I had the vision of each card being a handcrafted shrine. But I did not want to just emulate the traditional tarot decks based
on the teaching of the Order of the Golden Dawn or Rider-Waite. I wanted to share and highlight my own understanding based on my own experiences.  I saw that this could be a vehicle
for sharing my own teachings and mystical insight into the hidden secrets in religion and the new age.

I took time out from offering classes and retreats through my wisdom school, The Temple of Mary
and I closed my shop on Etsy.com. I packed away my paints and canvases and focused solely on creating this deck.

Ace of Vessels
The New Human
www.hergracesacredart.com

And what a labour of love it was.  I loved each and every 

moment of it.  The process was to collate the

many stories of Mary, gathered from folktales,

legend, metaphor and myth, Bible stories

and apocryphal books such as the Proevangelium

of James.

Each shrine consists of a small wooden shrine which contains the miniature diorama of the part of the story that I am depicting.

Card XV Our Lady and the Stag
COURAGE

Through the years I had become a committed
spiritual pilgrim and travel at least once a year
to a sacred site in the world;  especially places
where the Divine had manifested into the physical.
During my travels I collected many bits and pieces
and especially vintage and wonderfully kitsch
(some of them) religious statues.  I wanted these
for my hand crafted shrines and this became a
mission in itself.  I had to make two extra trips to
Europe to source statues and I have spent hours
on the internet buying up these little figurines.

Maria Bambina, Vessel of the Suit of the Distaff

The Tarot deck has 78 cards :

22 Major Arcana cards which are the main archetypal cards followed by the Minor Arcana which are separated into the four suits.

Well, all 78 shrines have been completed!

And my studio have been taken over by them.  All my books and display areas

have been taken over by the shrines.  

This is but a small portion of the shrines and only one wall -

they cover three walls

My vision is to publish the deck with a small accompanying book.

And then to rewrite this book over time into a more expanded version.

So now the next part of this Labour of Love is starting.

If you are interested in following my journey and
learning from my mistakes,
please follow my blog
Higher Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck

I will be offering the deck for sale in my online
shop The French Madonna
and I will offer special pre-publication offers
as well.

And I am working on some unique jewellery pieces based on the cards in the deck.  I have started with Card XVIII Stella Maris, traditionally The Star.

XVIII  STELLA MARIS, Mary the Star
Higher Mysteries of Mary Tarot Deck

Each pendant will be accompanied by a Tarot Card and its meaning and interpretation, packaged in a special tin or presentation box.

Visit my blog at The French Madonna Sacred Altars

If you would like to stay up to date with my journey and the Higher Mysteries

of Mary tarot deck, you can subscribe to this blog in the side margins

where it says "Follow by email' or you can become

a follower on Google Plus.

I am also on Instagram where I update regularly.

blessings

Hettienne